Kaurna Welcome Protocols

It is now common place for events to begin with a Welcome to Kaurna Land speech by a Kaurna Elder, often Kauwanu (Uncle) Lewis O’Brien or Ngarrpadla (Auntie) Josie Agius, or sometimes by a younger person such as a student at Kaurna Plains School where Kaurna is taught. Whilst these speeches take a variety of forms, a minimalist Kaurna speech is reproduced here in order to familiarise people with a few of the common elements within these speeches (revised spelling).

"Ladies and gentlemen, are you (all) good? (ie hello) My name is _________ On behalf of the Kaurna people I say “It’s good that you (all) came to Kaurna country” (ie welcome) My dear sister(s) (and) brother(s). (ie thank you)"

Several non-Indigenous organisations are now wanting to respond with some words of recognition of Kaurna country and Kaurna people in the language of the land. Accordingly statements of acknowledgement have now been developed in Kaurna.

ACC Statement of Acknowledgement

At its meeting of 27 May 2002, the Adelaide City Council accepted the need to acknowledge the traditional lands of the Kaurna people at the opening of every Council meeting.

A very brief statement of acknowledgement in the Kaurna language is as follows:

“Adelaide City Council (ACC) acknowledges that we are meeting on the traditional country of the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land. We acknowledge that they are of continuing importance to the Kaurna people living today.”

"We acknowledge the Kaurna people. They are the land owners from a long time ago. We recognise (that) the Kaurna people are still alive (ie have survived). The territory of the Kaurna Plains is exclusively Kaurna land."

It was acknowledged that there is some redundancy in this text. It was felt that the first line or the last line could be used independently as a short version, or the entire text could be used.

Catholic Education – Acknowledgement of Kaurna Land

In 2002, Catholic Education requested a Kaurna statement of acknowledgement of Kaurna land that could be used at assemblies in Catholic schools located in Kaurna country. The following statement was formulated:

Ngadlu tampinthi Kaurna miyurna yarta mathanya Wama Tarntanyaku.

‘We recognise (that) Kaurna people are the landowners and custodians of the Adelaide Plains.’